WHO: Jeremiah March & Hannah SmithWHEN: New Year’s EveWHERE: Mostly a party in the Capital. SUMMARY: Jeremiah invited Hannah to spend New Years Eve with him and she accepted. WARNINGS: None currently, will update if that changes.

Jeremiah had barely known what to expect from the holidays. It was the first one that he’d ever spent away from his family, or far enough away that he didn’t have to think about or deal with shenanigans, and in the end, he’d realized that wasn’t what he’d wanted to do so he’d booked a last minute plane-ticket, willingly returning to the looks his father would give him and the disdain his brother would offer in the raise of an eyebrow for the familiarity of the greys and purples and blues of Seattle winters with mountains in the distance one direction and the sound in the other.

But that hadn’t been how he would spend New Year’s. New Year’s had always been for parties, and usually for fireworks over the Space Needle, but this year he had intentionally chosen to be back in Repose. Intentionally because when he’d asked Hannah if she’d spend the evening with him, she’d agreed. She’d agreed and it was like whatever cloud or pallor might exist over the holidays in general, lightened just a bit. This in spite of the fact that he was also worried about her and he hoped that he hadn’t ruined her Christmas with her brother. Not that he’d felt he had much choice. He was pretty certain there was magic at work here as there had been the night of the Repose Halloween party.

New Year’s had already been decided upon though, and it meant that within his hands was the ability to be certain that she had a perfect night – insofar as it was possible for him to give her one. And so he’d made certain she had a dress that he was pretty certain would fit perfectly if she wanted it. He’d booked them tickets at a party in the Capital – maybe the party – it was nice to use his father’s name for useful things occasionally. Frank Sinatra had been his soundtrack of choice as he’d dressed carefully in a suit that he’d picked up while he was out of town, and he’d pulled out the nicer of the cars in the garage to go and pick up Hannah, hoping that she still wanted to do this - that it would be a nice change of pace, and hopeful – more than he had any right to be – about not having to spend the evening alone in his house.

He could have thrown a party, he supposed, but as he glanced over at the woman beside him, he had no regrets on that front. Maybe next year he’d throw a party – he had the space for it, and the means to entertain – but this year he wanted something quieter. Everything in the past few months he’d wanted to be quieter, less than what he might have chosen a year before. He knew the city well enough – there had been afternoons where a drive around the Capital had felt like the only thing he could really have to do – to maneuver exits and streets easily and still give attention to the woman next to him.

“They said there will be dinner served at the party – but it’ll likely be an hour. Are you good, or do you want to grab something?” He asked, as he pulled off down into a quieter street in an older, but gentrified area of the Capital. “There are a few cafes that are still open around here if you do.” He glanced over with a warm smile.